If there is any sign of progress that our troubled age can boast, it is that slavery is no longer legal anywhere in the world. However, there are many places where it is still practiced. This film concerns the trials and tribulations of one Iranian boy and his sister who are abducted from the streets when they become separated briefly from their parents. The boy is sold to a band of smugglers, who adds him to their troupe of human donkeys; the slaves' job is to sneak across the border bearing contraband items. Since they outnumber the border guards, the majority of the hundreds of slaves get through each time, ensuring a tidy profit for their keepers. The girl is destined for a grimmer fate; dressed in silks, she is to be the plaything for a Saudi prince. With the help of a new friend, the boy escapes and risks everything to rescue his sister.
by Clarke Fountain
synopsis
